E-Bike Battery Range: How Far Can You Really Go?

Range is roughly your battery's watt-hours divided by the watt-hours your riding uses per kilometre. For example, a 720 Wh battery covers about 40 km at 18 Wh/km and about 60 km at 12 Wh/km. Speed, hills, weight, throttle use, tires, wind and cold all push the Wh-per-km figure up, so plan on less range in a Canadian winter.

Safety guidance checked October 2026 (sources at the end).

The range formula: Wh ÷ Wh per km

Battery energy is measured in watt-hours (Wh): volts × amp-hours. Spec sheets often list volts and amp-hours separately, so multiply them:

• 36 V × 14 Ah = 504 Wh
• 48 V × 15 Ah = 720 Wh
• 52 V × 20 Ah = 1,040 Wh

Then divide by your consumption: range in km = battery Wh ÷ Wh per km. Treat the result as a best case, because cold weather, an ageing battery and a hilly route all reduce what you get.

E-bike range table by battery size

These are worked examples, not measurements. Once you know your own Wh per km (next section), read across to your column.

Gentle riding moves you toward the left of the table. Throttle use, high assist, hills, fat tires, wind and cold move you to the right. Your own number is the one that counts.

How to find your own Wh per km

1. Charge fully and note your odometer.
2. Ride your normal route at your normal assist level.
3. Estimate the energy used. If your display shows battery percentage, multiply the share used by the battery's Wh: 40% of 720 Wh is 288 Wh. Displays estimate charge, so this is approximate. For a closer figure, recharge through a plug-in energy meter; it includes charger losses, so it reads slightly high.
4. Divide by distance. 288 Wh over 20 km is 14.4 Wh/km.
5. Repeat in other conditions, such as a cold morning or a windy day, to see your range spread.

Planning a commute with the formula

Work backwards from your trip. A 12 km commute each way is 24 km a day, which is 360 Wh at 15 Wh/km. If cold and snow push you to 25 Wh/km, the same day takes 600 Wh. A 720 Wh battery covers both, but the winter case leaves little spare for detours, wind or an ageing pack unless you can charge indoors at work.

What drains your battery faster

• Speed: air drag rises with the square of speed (NASA's drag equation), so each kilometre at high speed costs more energy than at a relaxed pace.
• Assist level and throttle: the more the motor does, the less your legs do, and the faster the battery empties.
• Hills and stops: lifting weight up a slope and accelerating from every stop both cost energy.
• Weight: rider, cargo and bike together. More mass takes more energy to climb and accelerate.
• Tires: wide, knobby or soft tires roll with more resistance. Keep pressure within the range printed on the sidewall.
• Wind: a headwind works like extra speed through the air.
• Cold: a cold lithium-ion battery delivers less of its stored energy (below).
• Battery age: capacity falls as a battery ages, so an older pack covers fewer kilometres.

Cold weather and e-bike range

In the cold, a lithium-ion battery's internal resistance rises and it delivers less of its stored energy, so your range drops. Battery University notes that the loss lasts only while the cell is cold and recovers at room temperature. How much you lose depends on the temperature, the pack and the ride, so measure your own winter Wh per km rather than trusting a summer number.

Two rules matter more than range:

• Never charge below freezing. Health Canada says not to charge in below-zero temperatures. Battery University explains that charging a lithium-ion cell below freezing can plate metallic lithium on the anode, a permanent loss of performance and safety.
• Store the battery indoors. Health Canada advises against leaving batteries in a hot or cold car. Bring the battery inside after a winter ride and let it reach room temperature before you charge it.

For more on riding through the season, read our winter riding guide.

Charging habits that protect your battery

Health Canada's lithium-ion safety tips and its 2023 advisory on e-mobility batteries add up to a short list:

• Charge at room temperature, where you can see the battery, away from soft surfaces like a couch or bed and away from exit doors.
• Stop charging once the battery is full, and don't charge longer than the maker recommends.
• Use the charger that came with the bike. A replacement should carry a recognized Canadian certification mark, such as CSA, cUL or cETL.
• Use the original battery or original replacement parts, and never modify or rebuild a battery.
• For long storage, keep the battery at about 50% charge and check it every three months.
• Stop using a battery that is swollen, dented or damaged.

Health Canada also suggests checking that an e-bike complies with ANSI/CAN/UL 2849, the safety standard for e-bike electrical systems.

Reading range claims on spec sheets

A range figure means little without its conditions. Look for the assist level, rider weight, speed, terrain and temperature behind it. If they aren't stated, compare battery watt-hours instead and run the formula above with a conservative Wh per km.

Commuters can compare packs on our commuter e-bikes, and anyone planning long rides can start with long-range e-bikes. Read our warranty page before you buy, too, so you know how battery claims are handled.

Frequently asked questions

How far can an e-bike go on one charge?

Divide the battery's watt-hours by your Wh per km. A 720 Wh battery covers about 40 km at 18 Wh/km and about 60 km at 12 Wh/km. Your own number depends on speed, assist level, hills, weight, tires, wind and temperature.

Does cold weather reduce e-bike range?

Yes. A cold lithium-ion battery delivers less of its stored energy, and the loss recovers once the battery warms up. Measure your winter Wh per km to plan routes.

Can I charge my e-bike battery in the cold?

No. Health Canada advises against charging in below-zero temperatures. Bring the battery inside and let it reach room temperature first.

How should I store an e-bike battery over the winter?

Indoors, away from heat and anything that can catch fire, at about 50% charge. Health Canada suggests checking it every three months and charging it back up to about 50% if it has dropped.

Does a bigger battery always mean more range?

For the same riding, yes: twice the watt-hours means about twice the distance. A bigger pack also adds weight, which costs a little energy on climbs and starts.

Sources

• Health Canada: Lithium-ion battery safety (modified September 29, 2026)
• Health Canada advisory: Misuse or modification of lithium-ion batteries in e-mobility devices (May 11, 2023)
• Battery University: BU-502, Discharging at High and Low Temperatures
• Battery University: BU-410, Charging at High and Low Temperatures
• NASA Glenn Research Center: Drag Equation

Next step: compare battery sizes in our long-range e-bikes collection.